Porousness

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The condition of a substance characterized by numerous tiny openings that enable the easy passage of gases or liquids
2. A property of materials marked by the presence of small holes that allow for the effective movement of fluids or air
3. The state of a material that features multiple small openings permitting the passage of air or liquids freely

Etymology: Porousness is a plain compound: "porous" with the suffix "-ness" attached. "Porous" entered English through Middle French "poreux" and ultimately from Medieval Latin "porosus", drawn from Greek "poros" meaning "passage" or "pore", and it has long described materials full of tiny openings, such as sponge or stone. Adding "-ness" turns that adjective into a noun for the state or quality of being porous. The suffix has a long ancestry of its own. "-ness" descends from Old English "-nes", which traces back through Proto-Germanic forms to Proto-Indo-European roots. In Old English it was a productive way to turn adjectives into abstract nouns, and it still works that way today, so English speakers can form such nouns almost at will from any adjective.

Synonyms: permeability, sponge-like quality

Antonyms: impermeability, solidity